NEW-ZEALAND NEWS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 206, 25 May 1908, Page 8

NEW-ZEALAND NEWS

[BT TELEGEAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] J . ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL. . Christchurch, May 23. The Otira correspondent of the "Press H reports that: the largo steam boiler of 50h.p.j to. bo used in connection with the air--, compressing l plant for the Arthur's Pass Tunnel works, is 011 the ground, and the other machinery is being landed daily. A start is to bo made this week with its erection, and it is estimated' that within one month there will bo sufficient power available to drive three rock-boring machines. The site chosen for the temporary compres- , sors is immediately beside the tunnel mouth, on the made ground, where they , will not 1 interfere with the erection of the more per.manent machinery and buildings. The Holts Creek pipe-line is going on fairly well, ono' tunnel being almost completed. The second has been on harder ground of late, and tho going is in consequence more' retarded than, formerly. Tho site for the power-house in connection with this supply is ready, and 'the foundations of the building and machinery are now being put down.: _ The tender for the supply of pipes for this work has been practically plnccd, and immediately the tunnels are finished, the pipes,will.be placed in position. The-small tunnel (for there are practically two on the Punch Bowl route) lias been completed,'but'the longer, one_ of twelve chains will take some time to finish, and the contractors are concentrating their energies at the Otira ■ end. Mr. Murdoch M'Lean has informed the. writer that the work henceforth was to be prosecuted with the utmost vigour. ■V': COMMITTED ON A CHARGE OP ' . PERJURY. . Christchurch, May 23. John Page, ft cycle-maker at Lees ton, was adjudged the putative father of. an illegitimate child. ■ He defended tho action, arid, after giving judgment against him, Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., who beard tho case, directed that ho should be .chargcd with perjury. This morning ,he appeared before Mr. V.' G. Day, S.M.,- at the Magistrate's Court, and was charged with having, given false evidence on oath. The information stated that Pago, when giving evidence on his own behalf, had falsely sworn that the' complainant in the'affiliation case had never been inside his shop,.and ho had never walked outwith her. at any time. Evidence was given, and tho accused pleaded not guilty, and was. committed to the Supreme Court-for-trial, He reserved his defence. Bail was allowed! tho accused in £100 and one surety of £100. " , AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS AND CITY -' COUNCIL. • Auckland, May 23. ' Mr.' Justice Edwards heard argument to-, day on a siotion for a change of venue ofthe action- by the Auckland City Council, claiming £701 from' tho Electric Tramways Company for failing to provide sufficient rolling stock. ! Counsel for the company did not think that with tho present feeling in Auckland the company could get an -impartial trial there. : ' • His .Honour suggested that evidence might be taken here and, forwarded to the Appeal Court for decision. ( ■ The, company's solicitor desiring time t<j consider the proposal, His Honour said it . appeared to bo the only course, or thej would have to take what,, they could gel from an Auckland jury. Argument was adjourned till Tuesday. FIRE AT D.UNEDIN. • Dunodin, May 23. - Tlie St. Clair Tea Rooms were totally destroyed by fire at 2.30 this morning, and considerable damage was done to the Esplanade Tea Rooms adjoining. The St. Clair. Rooms were owned by H. Nirtd, and insured • for £200 ..in the National office. They: were > occupied by ,AV. 'Stears,'who had an insur« ance of £150 in tho State officc._ Miss Brown, owner and occupier' of the • Esplanade Rooms, was insured in the Norwich 'iUnion for £400 on? the: building. and £150 on furniture and stock. DEER STALKING—MALFORMED HEADS. . • Dunsdin, May 23. ' At a meeting of the Otago'Acclimatisation ; Society yesterday, a letter was received from Mr. Hardcastle, of Christchurch, with reference to culling a portion of tho . North Otago'herd of rod deer. The writer stated' that over 80 stags with malformed heads had been shot during the early part' of the season. He suggested that a. conference bo held in Dunedin'during the winter show weel ' to deal- with the matter: ; It was* decided ,to hold' a conference a«. early las' possible. ' - .' , DISCOVERY OP. MOA BONES. ' Clsborne, Mgy 23. A most interesting discovery of moa bones was made recently . by Mr. B. Watkins on Mr. Wallis's property at Tuparea. Entering a cave on the side of a mountain near Hikerangi, Mr.Watkins' found 'the bones of at least four moa birds. The .cave is rather damp, but the bones are in a fair state of preservation; This is believed^ to' ' be the first discovery of moa bonoa m that .district. ' . :: .

r HOUSE BURNED DOWN. Nelson, May 24. ' An unfinished five-roomed house on Brit, annia heights, the property of Mr. B' Jones, was totally destroyed by fire last night. The. building was insured in the South' British office, for £300. ' OBSCENE LANGUAGE.' Napier, May 24. Mr. S. E. M'Carthy; S.M., commented strongly at- Hastings on .Saturday on the prevalence of the use of obsccno language, - Not only there, but all over tho Dominion,, drunken men stood in'tho streets and polluted tho air with their filthy language within the hearing of women and children, who might otherwise never be subjected to tho unplea.sing ordeal. • . NEWS.IN BRHSF. Wairoa, May 23. - Mr. J. Scott, ; secretary' of.- tho Harbour - Board, fell from a ladder at tho Royal Albert Hall. He was severely injured, and had to bo taken to the hospital: • Westport, May 24. ' Owing to ince.ssant rains on Saturday, : the quick-step in- connection with the 'West Coast baud contest had to ba abandoned. The following complete the " results: —Trombono solo, John Cumming (Westport) 39, Jas: Cumming (Westport) 38, T. Neighbours (Grauity) 37. Boys' Competition, W- Cooper (Donniston) 37, A. Mac Masters 36. Grand selection, Inangahua (Reefton) 94, Westport 92, Grey Battalion 89, Hokitika 80, Grey Citizens 80. '• Gishornc, May 23. Tho Arbitration Court has concluded its' sittings, .and members of tho Court will leave for Wellington, to-morrow. ; ; Six hundred cases are set down for hearing _ at the sitting of the Nativo Land Court commencing hero next week. . ".••• In tho watcrsido workers' dispute the workers' representative asked that the rate, should. remain as at present. ..The Judge commented. on the fact that the workers had disturbed tho present arrangement,. which was explained by the union's desire, to have both local freezing companies- on tho same basis; The Court indicated that 'the rate for handling lambs must be reduced, and directed a confeVenco on the subject.' The Court dealt with a . number of broaches of award of a minor character. . Napier, May 23. The Napier branch of'tho. Women's-Chris-tian Temperance Union has acquired a pieco of land in Carly lo Street, on which to . erect a temperance institute. . . ' At the annual meeting of tho Hawke's Bay Acclimatisation Sooioty it was reported that tho quantities of ova and fry bntekod and liboratod in different stream during tk» mat year woro as follow:—Brevu trout, : 79,000; rainbow trout, 69,000;-. total, 188,000. Ova from Hakataramea (South IsJ*nd) Jil seated in tho Manawatu River, 80,009; katekod and liberated at Tutira, 10,000; total, 40,000, It has been decidcd to form an operatic society in Napier, and thoro is already aaactive membership of about sixty. /